The HERODrag Rescue Device

BY RAUL A. ANGULO

Being retired is great. It seems I have a lot more time for movies these days. I like westerns and war movies, and it seems in either category, someone is always getting shot and has to be carried back to safety. At least in the westerns, there was a horse close by, but in the war movies, the soldier had to be carried out.

Carrying a down firefighter in soaking wet full bunker gear is no easy task. Many firefighters can weigh as much as 300 pounds. I know with all my gear, I was easily more than 300 pounds and pitied the guy who would ever have to pull me out. Search and rescue is our number one job in the fire department. We have to be good at this task. If it is hard—and it usually is—you have to figure out techniques that will work for you in making this task easier. This is one reason I always carried a seven-foot pike pole. I discovered that dragging a down firefighter with a D-handle pike pole makes a challenging job extremely easy for one firefighter. And after you drill on this technique, you’ll be amazed how easy and simple it is. It’s a personal technique to work smarter, not harder.

This is a quick drag-and-go technique. Set the hook into the frame of the self-contained breathing apparatus backpack assembly and pull—just like you’re pulling a wagon. The rigidity of the pole transfers all your kinetic energy directly to the load. No energy is lost in the flexibility of rope or webbing. Try it (photo 1). Another option is to use a roof ladder as a sled to carry a down firefighter. A longer roof ladder distributes the load better than a baby ladder, and it makes it very easy to drag an unconscious firefighter out of a burning building. The roof ladder also allows you to easily lift the firefighter over large obstructions—something that would be nearly impossible without a solid object supporting the firefighter’s weight.